Living a cycling lifestyle… the on-line movement.

[acc]

What made all the difference for me was having the audacity to ask some poor unsuspecting cyclists to drag me around and teach me basic road safety and how to lock up my bike. In a perfect world we would ask novices to ride with us down to the corner for ice cream or coffee.

I can read about things all day long but until I get out there and ride in traffic or cross bridges, ford streams, or fly down hills, I don’t truly understand. So thanks to the folks who took the time and had the patience to teach me. I will try to return the favor.

ann

[Joe Chapline]

Another great post, venerated Pete-Dirt.

I think we will have the most success in getting people to try biking if we present it as a good option for them to do the things they need to do. People have lives, their lives require them to go places. Most people drive everywhere, because that’s the way they know. Some of them, a few, are interested in cars and driving, but most drivers are just trying to get someplace. I’m sure a lot of drivers don’t enjoy driving at all.

If we start seeing a lot more people substituting bike trips for driving trips, I don’t expect them to necessarily love bikes and cycling the way a lot of forum members do. This is in no way a criticism of bike enthusiasts. But I like to present biking as a transportation option that can make people’s lives easier and better, without necessarily becoming something they need to think about a lot. So I like to talk about biking in street clothes, biking short distances to get where you need to go, not spending a lot of money on it… just try it, it’s not a big deal. (I think drug dealers take a similar approach to getting new customers.)

I love the Clif 2-mile Challenge, Capitol Bikeshare, and the Car-Free Diet. By the way, look for a new Car-Free-Diet website in a few days.

[Dirt]

Yup. Great advice. We can all do more to help others incorporate cycling into our everyday lives.

[Joe Chapline]

Something that just popped into my head: I remember when I first saw the Dr. Gridlock column in the Washington Post — was that 30 years ago? At the time, it was almost all about driving. I loved it, because it was the first time I had seen a column about real-life driving. The name of the column showed an understanding of what driving is really like for most people. Every other car column and car magazine I had seen were aimed at the few people who really get excited about cars and like to watch the newest ones being driven around test tracks.

There’s a lot of information about cycling around now, but a lot of that is geared toward enthusiasts. It makes sense; who besides me wants to read about biking a mile to the store to pick up some milk and baby food? But I guess the benefit is in doing it, not reading about it.

I like this blog about biking for transportation: Commute by Bike

[PotomacCyclist]

I talk up Capital Bikeshare to a lot of people. Many people had never heard of it, or they were only vaguely familiar with a bike station or two. I think I’ve gotten a few people interested in cycling that otherwise would not be riding at all. I’ve also gotten some people to take up running. Once people become active, they become more open to running, cycling and walking in general.

I haven’t been directly involved in any of the programs listed. I’m glad they are out there even if I’m not likely to use those programs.

I also try to talk about cycling, running and exercise on non-cycling/running sites. Not in an overbearing manner, but I do try to make it clear how important it is for everyone to get more exercise. That’s where I can get new people interested in cycling and running. I assume that most of the people on this site are already interested in cycling. It’s interesting to talk about bike topics here but I don’t think of it as promoting cycling to non-cyclists. If some new people check out the forum after visiting the BikeArlington, WABA or goDCgo websites, that’s great. But I don’t know how frequently non-cyclists visit here and become avid cyclists. I hope there are some.

[acc]

That is a very good point and reminded me how riding my bike gets me out on the block talking to my neighbors. Granted, I am viewed as The Crazy Woman who rides around on a bike in the heat and the cold wearing funny clothes. Despite the friendly teasing, it’s been good to be seen on Spartacus and helps me keep tabs on my neighbors without reaching for my binoculars. I don’t pretend to believe any of them will get on a bike but at least they see someone who does and can act as a resource if they decide to give it a try.

ann

[eminva]

It can take a while, but sometimes the most unlikely casual cyclists become enthusiasts. Seven years ago, when I still lived in DC, my son attended a day camp in another part of DC so I had to drive him there and then go on to work. My normal commute was on metro so I didn’t realize how many people were commuting by bike and I was astonished that some of them looked like regular people like me. After a few too many bad days on the Red Line, I got on my husband’s way too big bike (I didn’t have my own) and gave it a try, with help from neighbors who were way ahead of me. Almost right away I bought myself a hybrid, but I was still not an enthusiast by any stretch of the imagination. But I did ride two or three days a week, eleven miles round trip on that sturdy hybrid, with bicycle shorts being my only concession to cycling gear. I also sometimes did errands and grocery runs by bike.

Four years ago we moved to Virginia, my commute increased substantially and my bike was stolen. I was getting gradually sucked in, though, and replaced the stolen hybrid with a road bike to better facilitate my longer commute. It’s taken a while, but I’ve worked my way to daily commuter and at some point perhaps crossed the line to “enthusiast.”

Nonetheless, from my perspective there are obstacles. Bicycle shops can be intimidating places for the uninitiated. There was a mechanic at the shop where I bought my first bike who didn’t even trust me to pump up the tires and told me to bring it in for that. I am progressing, but am still an extreme novice as a mechanic. I do believe the more you ride, the more you need to know about maintaining the bike yourself, but this can be off putting for people like Joe mentioned who might not be interesting in cycling per se, even if they are open to using it as a tool to get places.

I also use Plus3 and am interested to know how many Kudos Pete has. I have 1337 for the month of July — I wonder how many multiples of that he has!

Liz

[PotomacCyclist]

Some of the local bike stores offer free bike maintenance classes. Those usually include basics like tire repair and chain lubrication. Nothing too fancy but enough for beginners to get more comfortable and knowledgeable about bike maintenance. I’ve signed up for these classes at Conte’s (now Freshbikes) and Cyclelife USA in Georgetown. Revolution Cycles City Hub in Crystal City offers free group rides using their rental bikes. These are all ways of becoming more comfortable with cycling and with bike shops.

[5555624]

I find that the biggest obstacle is time. When people realize it won’t save them time commuting or running errands, they balk. Yes, I know, it is quicker for some people, but not everyone.

I work with a number of people that live in Arlington or Alexandria and own bikes, but they can all drive into work quicker than they can ride in. (If I owned a car, I could drive in quicker, too.) One who doesn’t ride, says he rides to workout and doesn’t want to deal with traffic, traffic lights, and crowded trails.

The 2MC is great, but errands can also take longer on a bike. That can be because you can’t carry as much on a bike as in a car. (I don’t suggest getting someone started in cycling and starting them off with a trailer.) The other reason, though, can be time. Either you have to make more trips, because you can’t carry as much, or it’s a hassle. If it’s less than a mile, it’s usually easier for me to walk. (I don’t need to haul my bike up and down from my apartment, carry — yes, carry — it across the lobby, lock it up, etc.)

Of course, there’s laziness, too. I once lived across the street, behind, a 7-Eleven and watched people drive a hundred yards, all the time.

[Dirt]

Totally agree on the time thing. I guess it says something about me and the mutant band of people that I call “friends” is that time never really enters into the conversation.

[Tim Kelley]

@5555624 6216 wrote:

I find that the biggest obstacle is time. When people realize it won’t save them time commuting or running errands, they balk. Yes, I know, it is quicker for some people, but not everyone.

…

Of course, there’s laziness, too. I once lived across the street, behind, a 7-Eleven and watched people drive a hundred yards, all the time.

When talking to non-cyclists I like to point out that, while biking may not be a time saver for everyone if you look at the time spent only on actual travel, you are getting exercise and saving money. That way you don’t need to take the time later to drive in traffic to sit on a stationary bike at the gym and you don’t need to put in the overtime hours at work to pay for upkeep on your car!

I think the laziness issue is definitely a factor too, but that’s something that seems pretty ingrained in American culture. See the rise of obesity as a sympton of this…

[Dirt]

When I compare my commute to a friend’s commute, From door to desk it takes me about 10 minutes longer to go by bike… That includes taking a shower and changing clothes. My ride is about 16 miles. It is less by car.

[americancyclo]

I’m lucky enough to live and work near metro stops, so my commute is almost always under an hour, with about a 5 minute difference between my three commute options. Starting with the quickest first:

1. Bike to Metro Station to Work
2. Bike to Work
3. Walk to Metro to Work

Sometimes I wait until i get to work to shower, just to make it even

I’m not claustrophobic, but I really do miss the fresh air on the days when I take metro and am crammed in with a full car of people, sweating and rushing to get home. The stress of trying to make it through a crowd, up the escalator and through the fare gates is on the level of M St traffic at rush hour.

[Joe Chapline]

Remember that bike trips are currently a small percentage of all trips in the area. Are we up to 3% yet? It would be great if we could double the percentage of trips by bike, but to do that we don’t have to make the case that cycling is the best choice for every person for every trip. I avoid saying anyone should ride a bike, and I avoid talking about cycling as a lifestyle. It’s a practical transportation option that’s available to lots of people.

[CCrew]

@Dirt 6226 wrote:

When I compare my commute to a friend’s commute, From door to desk it takes me about 10 minutes longer to go by bike… That includes taking a shower and changing clothes. My ride is about 16 miles. It is less by car.

I have a co-worker that uses the Loudoun buses to get downtown. Many days we leave at the same time. Often I can bike to Reston, get the bike on the car, get on the toll road and be at the Greenway toll plaza at the same time as his bus.

But I got exercise

[Author]

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